Aftermath, Chapter 20 - Surprise
by Askait Amara
Summary: More in the Arizona/Lauren romance. I know pro Arizona/Lauren folks are few and far between, but we have each other. Please enjoy. If you don't like the pairing, please skip this one.


Aftermath 20, Surprise

I do not own these characters. They belong to Grey's Anatomy and Co.

Arizona and Lauren spent the entire morning in bed laughing, touching, kissing, talking light heartedly about the time Arizona lived on a military base in Virginia, what is was like for Lauren to grow up in the South, Lauren's cousin's farm-to-table restaurant (which Arizona demanded to patron at some point during her stay), the intensity of the orgasm they shared the night before, edible wildflowers, Appalachian music, banjos and how they originated from Africa, and Old Crow Medicine Show's version of Wagon Wheel.

The two women unabashedly quenched their thirst for a second cup of coffee and fed their post sex hunger-pains with freshly baked whole-wheat bagels, goat cheese, and blueberry compote spiced with cardamom and purple basil. The cardamom/basil combination was new to Arizona's palate and one that immediately overwhelmed her senses. A bagel would never be the same again and her fridge would surely be stocked with provocative goodness of the like.

Once their appetites were satisfied Arizona recognized a split second in which she could bring up the topic of Syria, only she hesitated. A voice inside her said, "Wait, there's still time." Then, a second voice sounded off, "Yeah, but no time is ever the right time, so why not now?" She opened her mouth to speak, but the instant she did, Lauren's was upon hers and she found herself faced with a decision. If she continued to allow her lover to kiss her as she was, she would undoubtedly suppress her need for discussion. She decided she didn't care. She let go and fell gracefully into Lauren's kisses, then the eagerness of her hands and the confidence that resonated with each movement. She could kiss Lauren for hours upon hours, and she did. By the time they had their fill with one another it was nearly noon. Arizona knew this time as an absolute fact because it what she heard the moment Lauren jumped out of bed saying, "Oh my God it's Noon! We're late."

"Late?" Arizona said with an eyebrow raised-immediately missing the absence of Lauren's mouth and hands.

"Yes, late. I have a surprise for you. Come on, get up, we have to go."

"Go? Go where?

Lauren bit her lip seductively and smiled an electric smile swollen with youthful pride. She turned her back to her lover and practically skipped across the room to retrieve an athletic bag from her closet. "Put these on and I'll show you," she said placing the bag in front of her awe struck lover.

Arizona could tell that whatever surprise awaited her was something her lover was extremely excited to share. The way the amber eyed Goddess moved about the room pulling articles of clothing from her drawers and hastily sliding into them spoke volumes.

Arizona realized two things in that moment. One, Lauren took tremendous pleasure in surprising people with thoughtful gifts, and two, Lauren was a romantic. Yes, a bonafide, tried and true, consummate romantic. The latter of which moved her to her core. She felt grateful that she was young enough to crave such ardor and at the same time old enough to appreciate it.

Now fully clad in capris running pants and a form-fitting (muscle revealing) tank, Lauren hopped on the bed next to Arizona and said, "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, open your surprise."

In a manner reflective of her daughter on Christmas morning, Arizona unzipped the zipper and hurriedly pulled out items, one by one. The first to emerge was a helmet like the one she wore at the climbing wall. Then she saw the shoes and realized Lauren had gifted her with climbing gear. It occurred to her that she didn't have the prosthetic she normally used for climbing, the one that had the foot shaved down to half its normal size, but it didn't matter. She'd climbed in her day-to-day prosthetic before and it worked just as well. Her heart swelled with the awareness of what the surprise meant in its entirety. "You're taking me climbing?" she asked in a voice amplified with excitement.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm taking you climbing," Lauren husked, her Southern drawl unmistakable apparent. It was the inflection on the 'am of Ma'am that have her away.

Arizona radiated happiness, but did not speak; instead she reached out and placed her hand on the back of Lauren's neck and pulled her in for another kiss.

Lauren surrendered to Arizona's embrace, but not for long. Within seconds she gracefully put distance between their physical bodies and said, "Hurry up now, we really need to go. She'll be waiting for us."

"She?" Arizona asked as she pulled the rest of the garments from the bag and slid into a lightweight long sleeve wicker V-neck and loose fitting climbing pants-both sporting the label REI.

"Yes, a local climber is meeting us up the road near my mom's house. She's going to belay you.

"Me? She's going to belay me? You're not climbing?" Arizona asked.

"Well, I just think climbing is your thing and to be honest I'm not crazy about heights. They don't terrify me by any means, I just don't get as much out of climbing as I do running. So, I thought I'd bring you to an area I had set up with eyehooks, carabiners, and ropes and I'll get in a run while you scale the bluff. The space that I had set up has one of the most spectacular views of the valley, so I know you won't be disappointed. There's a reason my mom built a house up there. It is absolutely spectacular. You don't mind climbing on your own, do you?"

Arizona thought about it for a second and decided she didn't. Once again she considered Lauren's kindness. It was something she was absolutely falling in love with. There was no denying it, nor fighting it. Yet, in all practicality, the intuitive craniofacial surgeon was right, climbing was Arizona's thing and not just in a physical way, but a spiritual as well. The transcendental piece of it was something Arizona wasn't ready to share with another person, even someone she was falling in love with and she appreciated the way Lauren did not want to intrude. It was refreshing actually, the way Lauren set up such a thoughtful gift and made it about something Arizona found healing and at the same time provided the space for Arizona to enjoy it in a way that was truly her own. Lauren clearly understood the concept of healthful independence.

As Arizona lifted herself to her feet and followed Lauren to the door, her heart was full. The only thing that could make the moment better was if she were sharing it with Sofia. It occurred to her that there might be a time when she, her daughter, and her lover would spend quality time together. The idea of all three of them together made her shiver. Without a doubt, this three-day trip was a small taste of what the future held.

To Be Continued….

Note to readers: I just ended a long project and now have a little free time to write. I'm hoping to continue this story over the next several months. I know this last chapter is short, but I have lots of exciting ideas about where Arizona and Lauren will find themselves next. There will be an adventure, more great sex, more healing for Arizona, and insight for both. Please stay tuned.


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